Electrical centers are used in motor vehicles to interconnect various electrical circuits. The electrical center includes a number of electrical wiring harness connectors that connect the vehicle wiring with circuit switching devices, such as relays, and circuit protection devices, such as fuses.
Printed circuit boards (PCB) are used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components thru pathways/traces of copper connected to metal terminals that provide the connection to the various functions and locations via cables. PCB terminals are used as a mechanical support of electronic devices (e.g., fuses and relays) and electrical connections between the devices and the wiring harness connectors. Typically, the electrical centers are designed so that the wiring harness connectors are grouped on one side of the PCB while the electronic devices are grouped on the other.
PCBs are typically purchased as a laminate material with copper already applied to both sides; the unwanted copper is removed by various methods leaving only the desired copper traces. To accommodate circuits of different current carry capability, it may be desirable to use several PCBs with varying copper thickness to economically build a compact 3-dimensional electrical center or a similar component.
There are many PCB terminals designed with different thicknesses and width dependent upon the electrical component mating to it as well as the current carrying capacity required. All electronic devices (fuses, relays, etc.) are designed with a specific mating terminal thickness (tuning fork/female terminal or male blade) as a standard. Some of these electronic devices terminals range from 0.8 millimeters (mm) to 1.2 mm thick stock metal material. When the electronic device requires a certain thickness blade and the output female socket terminal connecting to the wire that supplies the connection to the function needs a different thickness than the electronic device, typically two separate terminals are placed in the PCB and are connected by a conductive trace. This requires space on the PCB and may increase number of PCB layers needed, thereby increasing manufacturing assembly time and cost, the number of terminals, materials (e.g. solder paste and/or conformal coating) and possibly increasing the dimensions of the electrical center.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.